PILL vs. DFEN
Compare and contrast key facts about Direxion Daily Pharmaceutical & Medical Bull 3X Shares (PILL) and Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN).
PILL and DFEN are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. PILL is a passively managed fund by Direxion that tracks the performance of the Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Intellidex Index. It was launched on Nov 15, 2017. DFEN is a passively managed fund by Direxion that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index (300%). It was launched on May 3, 2017. Both PILL and DFEN are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
PILL vs. DFEN - Performance Comparison
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PILL vs. DFEN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PILL Direxion Daily Pharmaceutical & Medical Bull 3X Shares | -13.41% | 75.14% | -7.26% | -12.06% | -43.16% | -37.33% | 0.28% | 19.26% | -21.15% | 16.39% |
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares | 5.76% | 156.62% | 27.07% | 24.70% | 6.99% | 12.72% | -70.23% | 95.09% | -32.86% | 19.11% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PILL achieves a -13.41% return, which is significantly lower than DFEN's 5.76% return.
PILL
- 1D
- 4.11%
- 1M
- -16.66%
- YTD
- -13.41%
- 6M
- 28.03%
- 1Y
- 69.42%
- 3Y*
- 8.95%
- 5Y*
- -12.72%
- 10Y*
- —
DFEN
- 1D
- 7.00%
- 1M
- -30.69%
- YTD
- 5.76%
- 6M
- 8.27%
- 1Y
- 138.06%
- 3Y*
- 59.94%
- 5Y*
- 32.31%
- 10Y*
- —
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PILL vs. DFEN - Expense Ratio Comparison
PILL has a 0.98% expense ratio, which is lower than DFEN's 0.99% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
PILL vs. DFEN — Risk / Return Rank
PILL
DFEN
PILL vs. DFEN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Pharmaceutical & Medical Bull 3X Shares (PILL) and Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| PILL | DFEN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.02 | 1.98 | -0.96 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.63 | 2.37 | -0.74 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.33 | -0.13 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.34 | 3.43 | -2.09 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.67 | 11.60 | -7.93 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PILL | DFEN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.02 | 1.98 | -0.96 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.21 | 0.55 | -0.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.13 | 0.22 | -0.35 |
Correlation
The correlation between PILL and DFEN is 0.49, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
PILL vs. DFEN - Dividend Comparison
PILL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.72%, less than DFEN's 8.44% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PILL Direxion Daily Pharmaceutical & Medical Bull 3X Shares | 0.72% | 0.69% | 1.28% | 1.83% | 0.67% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.38% | 0.91% | 0.10% |
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares | 8.44% | 8.89% | 14.12% | 1.13% | 0.46% | 1.89% | 0.48% | 0.50% | 1.07% | 1.50% |
Drawdowns
PILL vs. DFEN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PILL drawdown since its inception was -88.76%, roughly equal to the maximum DFEN drawdown of -91.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PILL and DFEN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PILL | DFEN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -88.76% | -91.36% | +2.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -36.51% | -41.75% | +5.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -83.38% | -56.23% | -27.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -70.33% | -30.69% | -39.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -58.39% | -45.53% | -12.86% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.31% | 12.33% | +0.98% |
Volatility
PILL vs. DFEN - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Pharmaceutical & Medical Bull 3X Shares (PILL) and Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN) have volatilities of 26.05% and 24.88%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PILL | DFEN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 26.05% | 24.88% | +1.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 46.70% | 48.34% | -1.64% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 69.59% | 70.19% | -0.60% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 59.66% | 59.08% | +0.58% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 63.76% | 71.34% | -7.58% |